


Chanyeol Snow and the Seven Little People

by exo1127_0112



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Fluff, M/M, OT12 (EXO), Snow White Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:47:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27269695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exo1127_0112/pseuds/exo1127_0112
Summary: Imagine Chanyeol Snow's surprise when meeting the fiance he never knew he had, and their royal wedding would take place in two days!  The young prince decides to run away, stumbling upon seven unlikely and incredibly nice creatures who treat him as one of their own.
Relationships: Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 13
Kudos: 51
Collections: ExOnce Upon A Time: Round III





	Chanyeol Snow and the Seven Little People

**Author's Note:**

> Dear lovely prompter, I hope you still like the story even if it wasn't completely faithful to the one you specified. I had some much fun writing this, especially after a long drought of not having the energy to write anything. I am grateful to you. 
> 
> This is mostly unbetaed, as I only wrote and completed this in a span of 2.5 days (due to personal reasons) but I hope every reader would still find this enjoyable. Again, thank you!
> 
> Prompt No: P26
> 
> Pairing: Chanyeol/Kyungsoo
> 
> Rating: R
> 
> Prompt: snow white au w/ a twist. everybody knows the story of snow white falling in love and marrying prince charming. but that isn't the truth. prince chanyeol, often called snow white, in reality fell in love with one of the dwarves that took him in while he's on the run, little big eyed grumpy but actually a softie kyungsoo, and had only agreed to marry the prince because he was the one who could help chanyeol defeat the evil queen.

Once upon a time, there lived the royal couple of Elyxion who possessed everything they could have ever asked for in life… except a child. One day, the Omega King, Junmyeon, became pregnant, and the Alpha King, Yifan, couldn’t be more ecstatic. In fact, the whole kingdom celebrated for months. Both royals were blond so it was hardly a surprise when their beautiful baby boy was born with a thick mop of stunningly bright, white hair. Due to this distinct feature, King Yifan and King Junmyeon decided to name their son Chanyeol Snow.

The young prince grew up kind and intelligent, but was a little mischievous too. The royal family was well-loved by the people and the nearby lands as well. One day, a few days after Chanyeol Snow's sixteenth birthday, the Grand Vizier from the Kingdom of Evanesce came for a visit.

“Ah, it is our old friend, Grand Vizier Zitao,” The Alpha King Yifan greeted, shaking the other man’s hand vigorously, as The Omega King Junmyeon amiably nodded at him in acknowledgment. “To what do we owe this pleasure?”

Zitao’s lips formed into an ambiguous smile. “Has your memory gone bad due to age, King Yifan? Don’t you remember the promise you made to the late King Leeteuk sixteen years ago?”

Junmyeon looked at his husband, perplexed and slightly concerned. Yifan patted Junmyeon’s hand in comfort as he sighed and turned to Zitao. “Of course I haven’t forgotten. It is for the betterment of both our kingdoms.”

“It is.” Zitao’s smile grew broader. “King Yifan and King Junmyeon, please allow me to present Prince Luhan of the Kingdom of Evanesce.”

And on cue, the dashing ginger-haired prince of the neighboring kingdom walked steadfastly into the grand hall, causing awed gasps and smiles from the members of the royal court. Everyone had turned speechless because of his beauty.

“Your Majesties.” Prince Luhan gallantly bowed in front of his elders. “My heart is full of joy to be visiting The Kingdom of Elyxion again.”

Junmyeon’s gaze softened from surprised to fond. “I remember you, Prince Luhan. You were such a precocious and well-mannered boy attending our Chanyeol’s christening. How old were you then, 4 or...?”

Prince Luhan chuckled gaily. “I was five years old, King Junmyeon. I think I said to your baby... “ _Why is your hair so white?_ ”

King Yifan, King Junmyeon, Grand Vizier Zitao and everyone in the grand hall had to laugh at the memory.

“Well, my son was born in winter, so maybe that had something to do with it,” King Yifan mused, suddenly searching the massive hall for a messy mop of that white hair. “Speaking of... Where is Chanyeol?”

King Junmyeon then told one of the butlers to go look for Chanyeol immediately. The head butler nodded and discretely rushed to get the castle’s entire team of butlers and handmaidens to locate the whereabouts of the playful prince.

The head butler was relieved to find the white-haired royal in the music room, quietly playing the piano in his solitude. Chanyeol looked up confused as the head butler escorted him to the grand hall, where he was told he had a visitor, a certain Prince Luhan.

The name did not sound familiar to him. Still, Chanyeol grew excited with each step, since he had just turned sixteen. He wondered if this said visitor had brought him a birthday gift.

The royal orchestra started playing the moment Prince Chanyeol stepped into the room. Prince Luhan’s lips broke into a pleased smile as his doe-like eyes set upon the young Elyxian prince’s devastatingly handsome face. “I’ve only heard great things about your beauty, Prince Chanyeol Snow, and I’ve always thought such superlatives were sheer exaggerations,” Luhan gushed once the younger one was in front of his parents and the Grand Vizier. “Now I completely understand where these compliments are coming from.”

Chanyeol blushed instantaneously, had never been sweet-talked like this by an exceptionally pretty omega before. He had always been told that he was going to be such a prize alpha someday—and many omegas had expressed interest in him—but Chanyeol felt like he still had some growing up to do and didn’t really think about mating and romance and all that jazz. “Uh... t-thank you, Prince Luhan. You are... quite a beauty yourself.”

Prince Luhan smiled even more and took Chanyeol’s hand. “I already know that we will get along very well.”

Chanyeol only blinked at him in bewilderment.

Grand Vizier Zitao discerned it was time to cut to the chase, especially with every member of the court there. “Prince Luhan is of age now, and in need of an heir. As per the pact sealed between King Yifan and King Leeteuk at the christening of Prince Chanyeol Snow, their sons would be getting married once Prince Chanyeol has reached the age of sixteen. We have traveled to your land to make good of that promise. We wish to hold the wedding in two days.”

“TWO DAYS?!” Junmyeon and Chanyeol exclaimed at the same time.

Yifan, the calmer one, held up his hands to resume order over the panicked/excited murmurings from the court. “Two days would be too much of a rush to hold a wedding ceremony. We will have to make arrangements for the food, the clothes, the guests, the...”

“I’ve thought about all of that,” Zitao replied, clapping his hands and revealed a battalion of his staff, assigning them in catering, in wardrobe, and the ushers. “I even invited Evanesce’s archbishop to officiate it, in case yours isn’t available.”

Yifan cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed. “Uh, our archbishop will officiate, since the wedding will be held in Elyxion. Prince Luhan and his entire entourage are welcome to stay in the castle in this duration.”

Chanyeol’s almond-shaped eyes grew rounder at what was happening. Junmyeon sighed and patted his son on the back, couldn’t do a thing about it myself.

“I look forward to seeing you at dinner time, my prince,” Luhan cooed as he reluctantly bid goodbye when Elyxion’s head butler and his team escorted the Evanesce party to the west wing of the castle.

“Father! Mother!” Chanyeol protested, once they were in the privacy of King Yifan’s office. “Marriage?! What’s going on?!”

Yifan rubbed his throbbing temples. “I’m sorry, my son. Maybe my memory is getting rusty as this pact has totally slipped my mind over the years.” He sighed, trying to get sympathy from both his husband and his only child. “Our kingdom has become so abundant since you’ve been born, Chanyeol. Merging Elyxion with Evanesce will only make both our lands all the richer.”

“But I can’t... not yet!” Chanyeol argued. “I’m... I don’t even know him!”

Junmyeon and Yifan looked at each other warily, although Junmyeon was smiling.

“I didn’t know your father, either, prior to marrying him,” Junmyeon relayed, putting an arm around his tall, upset son. “But Yifan grew on me, and my affections eventually turned to love.”

“The first time I saw your mother,” Yifan fondly shared, “I thought he was the most beautiful thing that ever existed, even though he was much smaller than the average omega. Still, I worked my ass off to make him fall for me.”

“Yifan, language!” Junmyeon reprimanded, swatting his husband on the bicep more on the _him being a small omega_ comment _._

Only Chanyeol had to laugh. “It’s okay, Mother. I’m not a child anymore.”

“That’s right,” Yifan softly agreed. “You will be experiencing your first rut soon... and when it hits, the urge will take over... You’ll want to...” His voice trailed off, turning to Junmyeon to explain it more delicately.

“My son,” Junmyeon resumed gently, “Prince Luhan will be going through his heat cycle in a few days. I can tell, because I’m an omega too. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why they’re rushing the wedding ceremony. It would be better if you were with your mate on your first rut, rather than...”

“You mean, I wouldn’t be able to control my instincts?” Chanyeol asked incredulously. “Is being an alpha really an excuse to just bed an omega like that?”

Yifan and Junmyeon could only stare at their child in shock, because they had never heard him speak that way before, and wondered when or how Chanyeol found out about the mating process.

“I read books,” Chanyeol answered defensively, as the silent question hung heavily in the air. “Why do we have that huge library in the first place if I’m the only one in there all the time?”

Junmyeon gave off an awkward laugh. “Of course. Well, I suppose the only thing to do is for you to get to know Prince Luhan better. He seems like a nice enough omega. Quite a catch.”

Chanyeol was still pouting when he realized his parents had fallen quiet and was probably disappointed in him. “He is... pretty,” he tried, if only to pacify his mother.

“He is,” Junmyeon agreed, hugging Chanyeol, with Yifan appearing greatly relieved. “Why don’t you meet him out in the garden, huh? I’ll have the butlers arrange an afternoon picnic for the both of you.”

Chanyeol merely nodded as he respectfully bowed in front of his parents and retired to his room.

***

He purposefully came down to the garden about ten minutes earlier, commanding the butlers to leave him alone as having other people around on this “date” made him extremely uncomfortable. The butlers agreed and wished the young prince the best of luck.

Chanyeol knew he would need it.

He saw the opulent blanket laid out on the grass, in front of the lagoon, with an enticing spread equipped with flowers and wine and cheese and fruit and donuts...

Though he was a bit hungry—he could really use a donut right now, which was by far his absolute and incredible weakness—he forged on unmitigated and ran towards a stone wall, where he had discovered a secret passage out to the grimy forest of Genie. He had been sneaking in and out of the castle since he was seven years old to play with forest animals, but no one noticed that he had been gone because he would return in an hour or so.

This time, however, he was planning to never go back.

The thought of marrying someone, at 16, was making him hyperventilate. Even if he might never find someone as beautiful or as lovely as Prince Luhan, Chanyeol wasn’t ready to be tied to, or to mate with, him.

Whispering a heart-wrenching apology to his parents, he pushed the heavy stone door open and was finally emancipated.

Chanyeol kept running and running—for hours, it seemed—until he was well into the deepest, darkest part of the forest. He regretted not getting any food or drink from the picnic to at least tide him over... the images of those beautiful and perfect chocolate donuts freshly baked now haunted him. As he became more and more shrouded in darkness, he realized that he had never explored this far away from the castle before, unless he had someone to accompany him or he was with his parents.

It was supposedly afternoon, but the dense trees and shrubbery blocked any form of sunlight that it felt like it was already midnight or close to it, and the young prince was having trouble seeing what was in front of him.

Deafening sounds of crickets pervaded his ears, that it made Chanyeol turn every which way, sensing if there was any impending danger. He had heard from the gardeners that wild boars and even tigers roamed the forest at the most random times.

Suddenly, there was a rustling of wilted leaves, as if someone, or _something_ , was advancing towards his direction that it made Chanyeol’s heart pound dangerously.

“Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God!” Chanyeol cried, helplessly rendered paralyzed in fear. His brilliant white hair was probably visible to nocturnal creatures and there was no escape for him.

Was this his end?

“DON’T EAT ME, PLEASE!” Chanyeol begged, just before a solid entity collided with him and he collapsed to the ground, struck unconscious.

***

Chanyeol softly groaned, could already feel his joints aching all over. He unconsciously stretched out his legs when he kicked the edge of the bed—which was wood, by the way—and ultimately hurt the sole of his right foot. “OWWW!”

He opened one eye, and found six strange, small, faces staring down at him.

Chanyeol’s eyes grew round as saucers and sank deeper into the bed. “W-Where am I? W-Who are you?”

“Ah, it speaks!” The one with the round face and cat-like eyes that twinkled exclaimed excitedly. “Are you all right, sir?”

“I... I don’t know...” Chanyeol replied tentatively, realizing that he still had all of his clothes on... except for the shoes. While his upper torso was laid on the bed comfortably, he couldn’t say the same for his mile-long legs. “What kind of bed is this...? Why is it so small?”

He heard someone from a distance scoffing, “The nerve of him complaining. What’s wrong with _my_ bed?”

“Who’s... that?” Chanyeol wondered out loud. Just then, he jumped out of his skin when one of the strange men... with pointed hats... sneezed into a tissue.

“Sorry, I have allergies,” apologized the red-nosed (witch?) with the yellow pointed hat. He held out his hand. “My name is Jongdae.”

Chanyeol awkwardly shook one of Jongdae’s fingers, hoping there was no snot on it. “Uh... h-hi.”

The others eagerly took turns to introduce themselves.

“I’m Baekhyun!” The happiest of them all, in a red hat, vigorously shook Chanyeol’s hand, which overwhelmed the prince because suddenly, another face appeared.

This one with the blue hat, tried to control a huge yawn, showing off two deep dimples on each cheek as he did, before waving at him. “Hello. I’m Yixing.”

“He’s always sleepy,” came a whisper behind Yixing.

Chanyeol eyed the bashful, blushing face peeking over Yixing’s shoulder.

“He’s Jongin. He’s very shy,” the first stranger piped in, the one with the cat eyes and yellow pointed hat. “I’m Minseok. I know it doesn’t look like it but I’m the oldest so I’m considered the leader...” Then he tugged a slightly taller, scrawnier fellow beside him, in another red pointed hat. “This here is Sehun. He’s our youngest.”

Sehun nodded, smiling kindly with his crinkly eyes.

“He’s mute, though,” Minseok informed, with Sehun nodding again. “Over time, we are able to understand what he is trying to say.”

It was Chanyeol’s turn to only nod this time, quite drowning in confusion and he couldn’t decide if any of this unsolicited information was necessary. He did observe that all the men were slightly shorter than normal... Not quite midgets, but... still... they only reached the height of an average pre-adolescent or something...

“Oh, and...” Minseok’s voice trailed off as he counted his members, and realized that one of them was missing. “Kyungsoo? Kyungsoo?”

Someone curtly clucked his tongue. “What now?! I’m cooking!”

“Don’t be so rude!” Minseok hissed, while Baekhyun and Yixing and Jongdae all teased Kyungsoo and tried to tickle him on the ribs.

Chanyeol sat up and blinked repeatedly at the short, petite young man with a blue hat, with smooth, squishy cheeks and tiny fists attacking his mischievous friends with soft punches. “Stop, stop it!” The shortest of them all demanded as he was forced to face their unexpected—giant—guest and to welcome him.

Chanyeol just kept staring at Kyungsoo, who was standing there, effortlessly pretty... and adorable, with that scrunched up, pissed off face, ebony hair peeking out of his ridiculously big blue hat, and such thick eyebrows over those big, round eyes...

He had never seen anyone as captivating to him before, as unassumingly handsome like Kyungsoo was.

“Kyungsoo...?” Minseok warned, shaking his head in disapproval.

“Well, that’s my name so I don’t have to say it.” The short one scowled, turning his back immediately.

“My name is Chanyeol,” The white-haired stranger volunteered suddenly, making Kyungsoo freeze. “I... I’m glad to meet you, Kyungsoo.”

Minseok cleared his throat, as did the rest of the others in the room.

“Uh... I mean, all of you. All of you, of course!” Chanyeol quickly redeemed, stealing a glance at Kyungsoo once more, but the short one didn’t seem to pay him any heed. Embarrassingly, Chanyeol couldn’t remember all the others’ names, but hopefully he would catch on, because he didn’t know what these small men were going to do with him.

He began to get up from the bed, and inadvertently knocked his head hard on the low ceiling in the process.

Chanyeol fell unconscious for the second time tonight.

***

He woke up with a splitting headache, naturally, to a dimly lit room and the sound of other men snoring, in various volumes and pitches.

Chanyeol grunted, but felt his shoulders being pushed back to the bed by small yet strong hands.

“You have quite a large bump with you hitting our central beam. How tall are you, anyway?” Someone grumbled, and the next thing Chanyeol knew, a pack of ice was placed on his noggin. “Hold this yourself. I won’t do it all night for you.”

And the tall one nervously placed both his hands on his head, as icy water streamed down his arms.

“The floor of our house to the roof is only 5 1/2 feet in height so I suggest you crawl over to the table, and I’ll give you food.”

With that, he saw Kyungsoo walking over to the kitchen, sans the blue hat, but already in his pajamas, the bottoms of which were pooling over his tiny feet.

_How cute_ , Chanyeol couldn’t help thinking, as he clumsily crawled over to follow him to the kitchen, only a few feet away.

Kyungsoo was already busy warming up the food, which Chanyeol’s nostrils could already recognize to be hearty beef stew with some vegetables. “You must be hungry. I could hear your stomach rumbling all the while you’re sleeping.”

Chanyeol didn’t even bother to sit on the miniature chair, because he wouldn’t fit anyway, so he sat on the floor, only awaiting provisions.

A couple of minutes later, Kyungsoo set the table for him and gave him a generous serving of the hot stew and some rice.

Chanyeol mindlessly set the ice pack on the corner of the table and devoured the appetizing food—so much more delectable than the ones he was fed in the palace—and almost coughed when he consumed too much too soon.

“Breathe,” Kyungsoo instructed nonchalantly, cleaning off the water melting from the ice pack and setting it aside completely. He gave Chanyeol a pitcher of water and a glass, which the latter gratefully drank.

While Chanyeol resumed eating, Kyungsoo went over to check on Chanyeol’s head. “The swelling has gone down.”

A delicious shiver ran up Chanyeol’s spine when he felt Kyungsoo touch his scalp.

“This other bump—the not-so-serious one—was my fault. Sorry.”

“Um... that’s okay,” Chanyeol murmured unintelligibly. He was probably not impressing Kyungsoo by speaking with his mouth full, but this food—if Kyungsoo was indeed the one who cooked the meal—was an extraordinary gastronomic experience. “I didn’t die.”

Kyungsoo only scowled, obviously not amused. “I thought you were this albino bear eating the vegetables in my garden, and you were so near our house, that’s why I attacked you with my plow. Blame my terrible eyesight for not recognizing that it was a tall human! What were you doing in Genie forest at that time of day?”

“Um...” Chanyeol gulped, didn’t know if he should divulge the real reason. “I... I got lost.”

“Well... do you remember where you live? Minseok and the others can try to accompany you on your way back,” Kyungsoo suggested, his harsh tone softening a bit.

“N-No,” Chanyeol lied. He didn’t want to return to the castle. He knew he had already broken his parents’ hearts by going against their wishes but he wasn’t ready. “I don’t remember.”

“You must have hit your head pretty badly, then.” Kyungsoo looked even sympathetic this time. All of a sudden, he got up and took a piece of pastry from the pantry. He was actually saving it for himself, but he figured this offering would be a form of apology.

Kyungsoo took off the lid of the container, which made Chanyeol gasp. “A donut?”

It was the most fascinating donut he had ever seen. It was indeed chocolate, but it had a soft green icing on top. “What is it?”

“Mint chocolate.”

“MINT?!” Chanyeol grimaced, about to refuse the treat. “Like toothpaste?!”

“If you don’t want it, I’ll—”

But Chanyeol found his large hand reaching for it before Kyungsoo could take it away, and the young prince blindly took the first bite.

The intense mint fusing with the rich, divine chocolate instantly made Chanyeol hum. It was pure happiness wrapped in fluffy dough and sweet icing. He didn’t know such two unlikely flavors could work so well together _and taste so good_!

Kyungsoo was assessing him warily, daring him to insult his _masterpiece_. “That’s a secret recipe, okay? And I always make extra for myself so...”

“This is the best donut I’ve ever tasted! And I’ve eaten a lot, believe me. I make requests to our bakers all the time...”

“ _Your bakers..._?”

Chanyeol wiped the chocolate from the side of his lip and coughed a little. “Uh, what I meant was… _the town bakers_ … would call me to taste test new flavors and I swear... your donut is on another whole level. What ingredients do you use? If you’re going to make more tomorrow, I would love to help!”

When Chanyeol’s sparkly eyes glimmered with hope, Kyungsoo shook his head and regained his petulant expression, asking Chanyeol to hurry up so he could clean the dishes.

Chanyeol gobbled up the rest of the donut, the very last morsels lingering in his mouth, and drank the very last drop of water, relieving his parched throat. "Thank you for the food!" He chimed, ending with a satisfied burp. 

It was either Kyungsoo was too preoccupied with clearing out the table or pretending not to hear him. 

Just as Chanyeol was crawling back to bed: “Kyungsoo?”

The smaller one did finally turn to look at him inquisitively. 

“I’ll just sleep on the floor. I’m sorry I had occupied your bed all this time.”

“Are you sure?” Kyungsoo sounded uncertain. “The floor can get very cold at night.”

“It’s fine,” Chanyeol assured, flashing him a smile to boot. “The cold doesn’t bother me, anyway.”

That almost cracked a smile on Kyungsoo’s face, as Kyungsoo noticed how brilliantly white Chanyeol’s hair was... like snow.

“Take my blanket, then,” Kyungsoo instructed, stopping the smile before it turned full, just as Chanyeol stretched out on the floor, next to Kyungsoo’s tiny bed. Chanyeol agreed and became more comfortable indeed.

***

The next morning, Chanyeol woke up to everyone about to head for the door.

“Oh, good morning, Chanyeol!” Baekhyun greeted happily. “We’re going to work, so feel free to stay in our house as long as you want.”

“Wait!” Chanyeol panicked. “What? Me, stay here? By myself?”

“No, Kyungsoo will stay with you, which is a good idea since he’s the only one who can cook. You’ll be well-fed,” Minseok assured, as Yixing yawned non-stop, Jongdae kept sneezing, Kai bashfully waving goodbye at Chanyeol and then hiding behind Sehun, who also waved and smiled with crinkly eyes. “Hope you have a good rest.”

“Oh... okay...” Chanyeol said, waving back at them. “Have a good day at work.”

And then the door was shut, leaving him all alone.

He stared at the small house, which was even smaller than his own private bathroom at the palace. His parents and the entire kingdom must be in chaos right now, trying to locate him. Much as he was conflicted whether he should just go back, his eyes searched for Kyungsoo’s whereabouts.

He wandered out to the front yard, where he saw Kyungsoo in the garden, crouched over some plants.

“H-Hi,” Chanyeol greeted shyly, going over to Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo frowned at the gigantic shadow now blocking the sunlight for his beloved cacti. “If you step on any of my lettuce and sesame leaves, you will have no dinner.”

Chanyeol balked at the smaller one’s threat. Kyungsoo’s height couldn’t possibly be more than 4 feet, 5 inches, and yet Chanyeol was scared of him.

In a weirdly... giddy... kind of way.

He couldn’t help the amused smile cracking his lips when he carefully crouched down himself next to the smaller one, who was gently watering the six cacti planted in a neat row in the garden. “Aww, they’re cute! Our gardeners said that you should talk to your plants everyday, to make them grow more beautifully, and it’s obvious that you’re paying them a lot of care and attention!” Chanyeol babbled, trying to find something to talk to Kyungsoo about. “Our gardeners even give our plants names!”

  
“Did you say you have _gardeners_?” Kyungsoo narrowed his eyes at him. “How big is your garden to warrant more than one?”

“Uh... well... n-not that big,” Chanyeol stammered, attempting to taper Kyungsoo’s suspicion. “Also... I think there is some truth to it, talking to plants and naming them.”

Kyungsoo only sulked and stood up, which confirmed Chanyeol’s earlier estimation of the smaller one’s height. He was pretty small. Sehun, Chanyeol observed, appeared to be the tallest, probably at 4 feet, 8 inches. Their bodies also looked proportional, so they were definitely not midgets. They also wore pointy hats and carried plows going to work...

Kyungsoo headed for the front door, while Chanyeol continued contemplating under the morning sun.

Until realization struck him and the white-haired prince’s eyes grew wide. “You’re a dwarf!”

Kyungsoo halted and turned around, replying to him sarcastically. “You’ve only figured that out now?”

“But... But... you’re...”

“I... I... I’m what?” Kyungsoo mimicked in mockery.

“You’re... pretty! And you’re nice! All of you are!” Chanyeol stammered, standing up to his full height of 6 feet and 1 inch that Kyungsoo had to strain his neck to look him in the eye. “W-What are you planning to do with me?”

The accusation deepened the frown on Kyungsoo’s face. The sheer prejudice dwarves received in this day and age was abhorrent. “Well... I could tie you up and torture you... ” The smaller one—with that pretty— _so pretty—_ and deceptively innocent face—menacingly walked towards him again. “Or chop every part of your body to feed you to the dogs? Isn’t that what we—dwarves—do?”

In his panic, Chanyeol’s arms went flailing as he stumbled backwards while still trying to avoid the spindly, aesthetic row of cacti.

The young prince groaned deeply as he landed on his back on the dry soil, thankfully with only minimal damage to the lettuce leaves. Maybe Kyungsoo will still feed him a spoonful of food later if he begged.

Kyungsoo came running and knelt down by his side, a worried expression now crossing his beautiful face. “Oh my... are you all right? I was only kidding! Dwarves don’t do any of that stuff! It’s the fault of those fairytale books!” He assisted Chanyeol to sit up while dusting the taller one off with his small hands. “I’m sorry. Did I look scary? The others tell me that I do.”

The image of the scrunched up eyebrows and that death glare returned to Chanyeol and he shivered inwardly. “Uh... no, no... I was just... I lost my balance, that’s all.”

“You and your gangly limbs,” Kyungsoo muttered, helping Chanyeol up to his feet. “Let’s go inside. I’ll get breakfast ready.”

And Chanyeol awkwardly followed the blue-hatted dwarf inside the kitchen, making sure to bow down upon entering the small door—that he could fit in horizontally since he was on the skinny, leaner side; vertically was the problem—so as not to add to his injuries.

“Also... they do have names,” Kyungsoo said suddenly, putting on his apron to begin cooking.

“Sorry?”

“The cacti. There are six of them. I named them after my family.”

“Oh.” Chanyeol felt sad for some reason, sitting on the floor by the kitchen table. “W-Where are they?”

“They just left for work,” Kyungsoo replied, a hint of smile on those lips. “I named my cacti after the other dwarves.”

Wait... did those pretty lips just form the shape of a heart?

Chanyeol’s own heart picked up speed as a full, sweet heart-shaped smile manifested. “Minseok, Yixing, Baekhyun, Jongdae, Jongin and Sehun aren’t my blood brothers but we treat each other as such, and we grew up together as orphans... because...”

Kyungsoo’s voice trailed off, that Chanyeol became curious. “What is it?” The prince whispered.

“Nevermind. It’s ancient history.” Kyungsoo tried to brush it off and broke a few eggs to whip into an omelet.

“It’s okay. Tell me,” Chanyeol urged, wondering what made Kyungsoo’s light mood turn somber.

Kyungsoo sighed, with his back still on Chanyeol, attempting to busy himself with the task. “Our parents were forced to work for the Imperial King in the Lost Land, and I was only four years old and among the dwarf children ripped away from them and thrown into the river to die. Minseok was six years old and carrying three-year-olds Jongin and Sehun on each side while Yixing, Baekhyun and Jongdae were following him as they wandered the wilderness by themselves for days. They heard me yelling for help, because I couldn’t swim. My older brother, unfortunately, got swept away because he wanted me to hold on to a branch and...” Kyungsoo bowed his head as a lone tear escaped his lids. He brushed it away quickly, of course, but Chanyeol noticed the swift movement. “Anyway, that was like twelve years ago. And I have a new family now.”

Chanyeol crawled over to where Kyungsoo was, and tentatively patted him on the back. He had read about the harsh reality that dwarves had to face in their daily lives, and how low in the social hierarchy they remained to be. The Imperial King had passed away around three years ago, and it seemed the mining of gold in the mountain still had to continue. The dwarves were now given more decent wages and allowed to go home and then come back to work the next day, leading more dignified lives. Perhaps, the reason why Kyungsoo and these dwarves were living in the middle of the forest was that they still felt unsafe from harassment and degradation by other beings. “So you and Minseok and the others are still working the mines?”

“What else could we do?” Kyungsoo shrugged, expertly mincing parsley and onions and garlic in no time that it impressed Chanyeol as to how efficient he was. “Our forefathers had been miners and our descendants would be too.”

“Is there anything you want to do in the future, besides mining?” Chanyeol’s eyes followed Kyungsoo’s every movement, from mixing the eggs vigorously, to adding cheese and pepper and salt, swirling the oil into a preheated pan... “Perhaps... be a cook?”

Kyungsoo scoffed, a subtle bitter laugh escaping. “Who in their right mind would hire me?”

“I would.”

Kyungsoo looked up at Chanyeol warily.

The young man only blinked at him with those almond-shaped, bright eyes. Why were they so _sparkly_?

“Really. That mint donut from last night alone would be more than enough to make me hire you,” Chanyeol told him sincerely, even crossing his heart. “I’d love for you to cook for me everyday.”

To Chanyeol’s surprise, Kyungsoo rolled his eyes. “Great, another mouth to feed. Minseok will probably ask you to stay forever, too.”

Kyungsoo had to hold his tongue when the taller one appeared wounded. “Would that be so terrible?”

The smaller one swallowed, couldn’t articulate an apology. He had already said sorry out in the garden. Two apologies would be overdoing it. “N-No. I don't know why I said that. I only meant...”

“Will you teach me how to cook?” Chanyeol asked eagerly, looking forward for something to do.

“Well...”

“I, at least, want to earn what I eat today. Please!” Chanyeol begged. “I’m a fast learner!”

And Kyungsoo would find out that day that he was.

***

Meanwhile, Zitao was pacing back and forth in the west wing of Elyxion, fuming. This couldn’t be happening. The wedding had been planned for 16 years! He promised King Leeteuk that he would see it through to the end.

Had their arrival upon Elyxion unannounced spooked the young prince?

Chanyeol Snow had been missing for nearly 24 hours and the kingdom had been turned upside down. The Omega King Junmyeon had fallen sick due to worry and The Alpha King Yifan had not slept and set out to find his son on horseback with his most competent soldiers.

Just then, his trusted messenger entered the room bearing news. “Sir, we heard from the mines that a group of dwarves were talking about a human that they found in the Genie forest. They said that they adopted the human in the meantime to recuperate.”

That piqued Zitao’s interest. “Oh... and what might these dwarves’ names be?”

The messenger pulled up a piece of paper from his coat. “It says here... Baekyun, Jongdae and Minseok, they’re the loudest ones. The other three they were always with were either dozing off, hiding behind a boulder or only nodding and shaking his head.”

Zitao recognized their names. He had hired them himself, after checking their registry that they were legitimate descendants of fallen miners who had worked for the late King Leeteuk, The Imperial King. When The Omega Prince Luhan took over the kingdom, he made sure that the dwarves were treated more fairly in the workplace, since the diamond mines were the main source of income for Evanesce. The dwarves worked even harder due to this upgrade. “Hmm... I remember those young dwarves. All seven of them were always in a clump, never separating. Where is the other one who’s perpetually grumpy?”

“There were only six of them today, Sir.”

Zitao’s mind was turning like clockwork. He thought to follow his instinct, before alerting King Yifan and King Junmyeon.

Prince Luhan would get married by sundown tomorrow, by hook or by crook!

He dismissed the messenger then and worked on his plan. He would disguise himself as an old lady, for he had heard of Prince Chanyeol’s soft and giving nature. Perhaps the young royal would pity an elderly beggar in the middle of the forest.

But of course, he had to make sure the Elyxian prince would fall for his trap.

***

Chanyeol had been so helpful preparing lunch for the two of them today that Kyungsoo couldn’t help but feel an affinity towards him. He even felt really sorry now that he had knocked Chanyeol down almost three times since having met him. When Minseok decided to take him in, Kyungsoo had been the first one to protest. The others convinced him otherwise, though, because humans had been treating dwarves better and better everyday. So far, Chanyeol had done nothing to harm them.

When Kyungsoo and Chanyeol found out that they were actually the same age, they started to become more comfortable with each other and were now talking as friends would, in that short of a time. Kyungsoo marveled at how knowledgeable Chanyeol was at every subject, so the smaller one figured he must have been educated. Chanyeol also learned quickly by observing Kyungsoo once and then cleaned the floors and the windows himself, until it was up to Kyungsoo’s standards.

Kyungsoo was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to be around Chanyeol and how he didn’t have to be so uptight when speaking and opening up about whatever it was he wanted to say. Kyungsoo even went as far as complimenting him when Chanyeol produced a perfectly tossed avocado, tomatoes and greens salad for appetizer earlier.

“I think you know your way around the kitchen,” Kyungsoo mused, digging into the lush salad that he had proudly grown from his garden. “This tastes even better than when I make this salad myself.”

Chanyeol grinned, extremely pleased. Somehow, hearing that from Kyungsoo made his heart flutter with joy. “I asked our head chef how he mixes the dressing and—”

“Your head chef?” Kyungsoo echoed, raising an eyebrow. “First, you have bakers, and then gardeners and now a head chef...? How _rich_ are you?”

Chanyeol gulped. “Uh... I grew up in a... large household...” An entire _palace_ , if he was being honest. “So... there were a lot of people who looked after... me...”

“I knew it!”

Chanyeol then grew nervous. Did Kyungsoo recognize him? Were dwarves aware of the monarchy of neighboring lands?

Would Kyungsoo turn him in?

“The moment we hauled you inside the house, unconscious as you were, I already thought you looked rich! Who would wear a vested coat, a silk shirt, velvet trousers and leather boots in the forest?”

“Uh... I came from a party...”

“Chanyeol...” Kyungsoo told him sternly. “Where are you really from?” Suddenly, panic crossed the smaller one’s pretty face, his round eyes growing even bigger. “Your family must be looking for you! They might think... they might accuse us of kidnapping!”

Suddenly, Chanyeol was being pushed towards the door. “Go now! Go back! We can’t risk being thrown into the dungeon, especially because of a noble-looking human like you!”

“Kyungsoo! Kyungsoo!” Chanyeol pleaded, gripping the smaller one’s wrists gently, just enough to stop him. “Please... I don’t want to go back.”

“Why? Don’t you have parents? Don’t you think about how worried they must be about you?”

“I do...”

“At least you still have parents! Me, and my brothers... we don’t know what happened to ours! They passed away and I never—”

Chanyeol threw his arms around Kyungsoo, whose sobs were now muffled on the taller one’s shoulder and only realized now that he was turning hysterical.

“I never got to say goodbye...” Kyungsoo wept as Chanyeol rubbed his back in comfort.

“I’m... I’m so sorry,” Chanyeol whispered, hugging Kyungsoo tighter. “I’m so sorry, Kyungsoo.”

Suddenly, Kyungsoo pushed away from him, embarrassed for showing his weakness. He wiped his tears away on his own and scowled at him. “You ran away, didn’t you?”

“I did,” Chanyeol admitted, not too proudly. “And it was quite irresponsible for me to do so. But if you allow me to stay, I promise to work hard and pull my weight around here. I will help with the chores and cooking and cleaning and anything else you guys would need. Also, I still want to make those mint chocolate donuts with you.”

Kyungsoo had to wheeze, as a half-ripe laugh escaped his mouth, that Chanyeol found utterly adorable despite its clumsiness.

There was that sweet heart-shaped smile again, albeit a tiny one.

“So... can I stay?” Chanyeol asked tentatively, those bright, sparkly eyes still begging.

“We do need someone tall to put things on the top shelves and to reach for them when needed,” Kyungsoo joked, choosing now to make light of the situation.

“That would be no problem at all,” Chanyeol agreed fondly, brushing the last of Kyungsoo’s tears with his thumbs.

***

The next morning, Kyungsoo was asked to return to the mines so he, especially, left instructions for Chanyeol, about not leaving the stove with the fire on, or not to make too much of a mess, and reminded him to change the sheets on all seven beds as he had shown him yesterday and to not let any strangers inside the house.

Jongdae sneezed and looked at Kyungsoo dubiously. “We’re in the middle of the forest. Who would knock on our door?”

“Well, you never know,” Yixing piped in, yawning.

Minseok had to chuckle. “Just listen to what Kyungsoo tells you and we’ll have peace.” He patted the grumpy dwarf at the back as he and the rest of the dwarves left with Kyungsoo reluctantly waving goodbye to their white-haired human.

Once on their way, Minseok found himself contemplating. “Maybe we should get Chanyeol a bed.”

“Where would we place his bed?” Baekhyun asked, scratching his head. “His legs are too long.”

“Next to Kyungsoo's,” Minseok answered, giving the younger dwarf he mentioned a teasing grin. “Chanyeol never leaves his side. And one more thing, I caught him staring at Kyungsoo sleeping when I woke up to get a drink of water.”

Kyungsoo looked horrified. “W-Why would he do that?”

Minseok had to laugh as the others all turned their attention to Kyungsoo. “I asked him, and I almost got kicked by those long legs because he was startled. Anyway, he said that he had such a fun time with you in the house. Then I asked him even further: “ _Is that all?_ ” And I tell you, the tall one positively blushed!” Then he poked Kyungsoo’s squishy cheek. “What did you two do all day yesterday, huh?”

“Nothing!” Kyungsoo was the one furiously blushing now. “We cooked, we cleaned, we talked, he hugged me...” And then his hands flew to cover his mouth as the jeers and the boisterous guffaws exploded all around.

Even shy Jongin and mute Sehun were laughing uncontrollably as well.

“Oooh...” Minseok cajoled, running up beside Kyungsoo, who was now hurrying to get away. “You know what else he said?”

“I don’t want to know,” Kyungsoo retorted, marching on ahead.

“But we do!” Baekhyun, Yixing and Jongdae, who sneezed, screamed in unison.

Minseok turned to the three and Jongin and Sehun and said in an amplified voice, just to make sure that Kyungsoo was listening. “Chanyeol’s words were, “ _Why is he always frowning, though? Does he know his smile is shaped like a heart? If it were up to me, I will make him smile all the time._ ”

Baekhyun pretended to faint in giddiness and Yixing and Jongdae, who were still laughing, caught him before he melted to the ground.

“And that’s when I knew,” Minseok concluded, “that our tall human has a crush on our Kyungsoo!”

“A crush?!” Jongin’s jaw dropped. He was fifteen so he didn’t know if that was too young or too old to have one. He looked at Sehun, who also shrugged.

“Bah, humbug!” Kyungsoo whined. “If I didn’t hear it myself, you probably made it up!”

“Have I ever lied to you before?” Minseok caught up with him and defended himself. “Why would I make something like that up?”

Kyungsoo shrugged and ignored him, but he couldn’t deny that what he heard—if there was even a grain of truth that Chanyeol thought of _him_ in such a way—made his heart go _thump, thump, thump._

“And he seems like a good guy. We’ve never encountered harsh humans before, at least not recently,” Minseok said, suddenly turning serious. “If he likes you, and if you like him, then we’ll make him part of the family.”

“Just no gross stuff, or anything like that,” Jongdae chimed in, crinkling his nose and reached for a tissue just in time to catch a sneeze.

“Yeah, we all like Chanyeol,” Baekhyun added, grinning happily. “Right, Yixing?”

Yixing yawned. “Yes, of course. The more the merrier! Right, Sehunnie?”

Sehun grinned and nodded, and turned to Jongin.

“Yes, Chanyeol can stay,” Jongin replied, gazing up to the older ones. “A tall human brother can defend and protect me, and I can learn from him.”

“Okay then, Chanyeol stays,” Minseok decided, and turned to Kyungsoo, who had kept quiet all this time. “Unless you don’t agree?”

“He can stay, as long as he wants to stay,” Kyungsoo answered softly, remembering that Chanyeol admitted that he had run away. Someday, or soon, Chanyeol might decide to return home. And when that day came, and it would, Kyungsoo would let him go because it was the right thing to do.

***

Chanyeol had kept himself busy with chores, making sure to do them as Kyungsoo specifically taught him, or else he would be directed the death glare again...

Although he wouldn’t mind that, as long as Kyungsoo was looking at him, he thought funnily to himself.

Suddenly, he could hear some scuttling of the grass outside. He looked out the window and saw an albino bear chewing on Kyungsoo’s precious lettuce!

Chanyeol searched around in panic to see what he could use as a weapon to ward off the bear. He immediately grabbed the wooden mop, that would probably be broken into pieces by the massive animal, but he had to try his best. Otherwise, all eight of them wouldn’t have lettuce for dinner later.

He nervously burst out of the door and clumsily poked at the bear on the back, as it growled and flashed furious eyes at him.

Suddenly, the young prince realized how stupid of a move that was, especially when the albino bear was looking at him with much interest now, and completely ignoring the lettuce leaves. What was vegetable over fresh meat, right?

Chanyeol backed away, splitting the mop in half—apologizing to Kyungsoo in advance for doing so—and hurled the sharp edge of the mop towards the white beast, but the stick was easily flung away and the bear was charging towards Chanyeol.

Just as Chanyeol braced himself for the inevitable snapping of the bear’s jaws on his body, a sharp whistle made the beast’s head turn at the sound.

The young prince blinked in confusion and sat up on the ground. At one snap, the animal miraculously turned docile.

Was he dreaming? 

However, the devastation that washed over Chanyeol felt too real at the sight of Kyungsoo’s beloved garden in utter disarray.

The first things that came to his mind was how sad Kyungsoo was going to be and what he could do to fix it. 

The albino beast, somewhat dizzily, walked away just like that, much to Chanyeol’s surprise and relief. Just as the prince was running to Kyungsoo's cactus family—thankfully, all six cacti were intact, in the place of the bear stood a hunched-back elderly beggar carrying a picnic basket.

Chanyeol jumped, startled, as the old woman walked up to him.

  
“Young man, did that bear scare you?” She croacked, making Chanyeol all the more nervous. This beggar had a pointed nose, and quite a long body, which made Chanyeol presume she was quite a tall woman, perhaps even as tall as him...

Her scraggly hair clung to her forehead, perspiring, which was kind of odd. Perhaps it was also because she was wearing too many clothes.

“That bear won’t bother you for some time. I already gave it some of my treats from my basket,” the old woman went on, approaching Chanyeol still. In truth, the beggar used some old magic to hypnotize the animal into leaving the premises.

The same magic that transformed her appearance to what was in front of Chanyeol now.

“Uh... h-how can I help you?” The young prince asked cautiously.

“Oh, I’ve been walking for hours now, and I thought this was the way to the river. Would you know where it is?”

“I... I’m sorry. I do not know.” Chanyeol shook his head, kind of afraid now. Something about the old woman’s steely gaze reminded him of someone...

Someone he had met recently, but he couldn’t place it in his mind...

“Would you spare an old woman a drink of water? I have been on a long journey... and my feet are already aching, and I have to sell these treats I baked this morning in town...”

The old woman opened the basket and immediately had Chanyeol salivating.

DONUTS.

Every color, every flavor imaginable was inside the old woman’s basket. How was it possible to have that many donuts in such a tiny basket? No wonder the old lady nearly broke her back.

The smell of the delectable treats was inadvertently enchanting him, and then he saw it...

A mint chocolate donut right in the middle of the pile.

“Would you like to have that, my dear?” The old woman raspily enticed. “Go on, help yourself.”

As the image of Kyungsoo’s heart-shaped smile floated in his mind, the besotted Chanyeol claimed the mint chocolate donut for himself and leisurely took a bite.

***

Nothing put Kyungsoo in a better mood more than a productive day and an organized space.

But then, there was good food, so that had to be above all else.

And then he recalled what Chanyeol had said about him: “ _If it were up to me,_ _I will make him smile all the time.”_

Which brought a spontaneous and wide heart-shaped smile on Kyungsoo’s lips.

So maybe— _maybe_ —Chanyeol was also on top of the list that could [potentially] lift Kyungsoo’s spirits.

Just as he and his brothers were walking home, he passed by a patch of miniature cacti and scanned a rather tall and skinny cactus, sticking out like a sore thumb. He carefully unearthed the plant, grunting as he became inadvertently stung by its needles. He then wrapped it securely with a cloth and he ran to catch up with the rest of them, who hadn’t even noticed he was gone.

They were several steps ahead of him now, but Kyungsoo didn’t mind. He was thinking about how this precious succulent would look along the row of the existing cacti in his garden.

When their tiny abode came into view, Kyungsoo smiled his heart-shaped smile and warmly whispered to the plant. “We’re home now, Chanyeol.”

“CHANYEOL!!!”

Kyungsoo’s head snapped up and hugged Cactus Chanyeol to himself, not even feeling the needles digging into his chest as he ran towards the sound Minseok’s wails and Yixing’s and Baekhyun’s and Jongdae’s and Jongin’s...

and Sehun’s...

SEHUN WAS SCREAMING.

Kyungsoo dropped the cactus as the six other dwarves wept and gathered around their tall human, lying lifeless on the ground. “What...? C-Chanyeol?” He pressed his ear on Chanyeol’s chest and gasped with relief to hear a faint, yet steady heartbeat. Then his eyes grew wide as he saw a partially eaten mint chocolate donut on Chanyeol’s hand.

Did Chanyeol find his secret stash? He didn’t tell anyone that he saved two more of his donuts, apart from the one he already gave to Chanyeol.

Wait... that wasn’t one of his! The mint green of the icing was too pale and the chocolate was much too dark... and had they used _margarine_ instead of _butter_ …? Preposterous! Who baked this?! Kyungsoo sniffed the soiled donut in disgust, smelling something foul that couldn’t possibly be edible, and flung it away.

The albino bear suddenly appeared, making the dwarves cower in fear. They did not leave Chanyeol’s side, however. Jongin even protectively crouched over his tall human brother, despite trembling to the bone.

The albino bear was about to attack them when it became distracted by the donut that was thrown a few feet away. The bear gobbled it up in one go until...

The animal fell on its side and instantaneously became unconscious.

“Is it... dead?” Yixing asked anxiously, more awake than he had ever been in his entire teenager years, as Baekhyun could only shrug.

Minseok cleared his throat. “I’m the oldest so I’ll go check.”

Loud protests came from the younger ones.

“If this thing eats me...” Minseok gulped as he cautiously approached the bear. “You decide who gets my bed.”

Kyungsoo held on to Chanyeol’s icy, motionless hand, bracing himself for the worst. Would he lose another member of his family tonight... apart from Chanyeol?

A loud sound made Minseok jump back a couple of feet, only to realize that the bear was _snoring_.

Still, Minseok poked the animal on the ribs just to test.

Nothing.

“Should I throw a rock at it?” Minseok turned to the others for agreement.

Everyone nervously shook their heads.

“Don’t do it, older brother!” Sehun pleaded.

“SEHUNNIE!” Minseok ran back and gave their youngest—yet tallest—one a tight hug. Everyone of them threw their arms around them as well.

Except Kyungsoo stayed by Chanyeol’s side, the latter still lying on the ground, as the smallest one cried.

“Are you really only sleeping?” Kyungsoo sobbed, not even minding that his garden was in shambles at the moment. “You’re not dead, are you? Wake up! Please wake up now!”

Chanyeol remained unresponsive with his eyes closed. The rise and fall of his chest was weak and progressively getting weaker... but there was still breath in him, which still made the situation hopeful.

Minseok and the others turned to Kyungsoo and Chanyeol sympathetically. Kyungsoo had never, ever cried, at least never in front of them, since they saved him from nearly drowning in the river all those years ago. It was heartbreaking to see their brother so sad.

“Kyungsoo…” Minseok began to console.

“NO!” Kyungsoo yelled at Chanyeol’s huge ear angrily now. “LIVE! YOU HAVE TO LIVE!”

“He wouldn’t wake up like that,” came an ominous voice from behind them.

The dwarves turned around and found two noblemen on horseback, breaking through the mist.

“Prince Chanyeol?” A magnificent orange-haired man then jumped down gracefully from his white steed, walking towards them. He gasped as if confirming the catatonic body on the grass.

“PRINCE CHANYEOL?!” All the dwarves—including Kyungsoo—repeated in shock.

“He’s a prince…” Kyungsoo whispered, recalling Chanyeol’s slip of the tongue, mentioning bakers, gardeners and chefs…

A prince…

“What did you do to him?” The pretty nobleman accused his taller, more aggressive-looking companion.

“I put him to sleep,” The dark-haired man replied, smiling as if in amusement.

That made Kyungsoo’s blood boil. There was nothing funny about the situation! “So you’re the one who fed Chanyeol that low-grade donut?!”

“Manners, dwarf!” Zitao snarled at Kyungsoo. “He’s PRINCE CHANYEOL to you!”

Minseok and Baekhyun had to hold Kyungsoo back before he tackled the much taller human. “You used too much dark chocolate! If it was over half a cup, he might never wake up from the excess serotonin!”

“I didn’t realize you would be such a smart cookie but you guessed the key ingredient right,” Zitao murmured slyly. “I didn’t use just any ordinary dark chocolate, though. It was from the cocoa of the Lost Lands.”

Kyungsoo gasped. “It’s the purest of the pure.” He looked at Chanyeol, horrified. “You’ll kill him!”

“Don’t be so dramatic, dwarf,” Zitao sneered. “He only had one bite. He fell asleep right after. It’s merely a small dose.” He stared at Chanyeol mockingly. “Lightweight prince.”

“Wake him up, Tao! Now!” The prettier of the two commanded, sounding slightly miffed. “We can’t take too long. We have to take Chanyeol back to the castle.”

“I can’t do that, Lu,” Zitao told him ambiguously. “Even if I’m the one who put him under a spell, only you—his soulmate—can undo it.”

Luhan scoffed at the word, and stared at Chanyeol empathetically. This teenager, five years his junior, about to be his husband, had not even grown into his full alpha yet. Because of the pact, they had to undertake these desperate measures. Zitao orchestrated this elaborate, potentially dangerous, scheme because Chanyeol wouldn’t willingly return with him to the castle otherwise. “Are you sure this is going to work?”

“Yes. You two are meant to be,” Zitao said softly. “The wedding is tomorrow. For him to wake up now, you have to kiss him.” The Grand Vizier’s lips were on a grim line. He had already anticipated what would happen next, but he realized belatedly that he wasn't ready for it. “Only then will he regain consciousness.”

Luhan sighed as Kyungsoo and the others helplessly gave way.

Kyungsoo was crestfallen. Chanyeol’s wedding… was tomorrow. Then why did he run away?

This prince—so beautiful and elegant in every way—was Chanyeol’s soulmate.

Much as Kyungsoo couldn’t bear for Chanyeol’s lips be touched by another, he wanted to see if true love’s kiss would indeed rouse him.

Luhan knelt down beside the younger prince and leaned over, lips hovering over the other…

Zitao, Kyungsoo and the other dwarves held their breaths.

“I can’t,” Luhan protested suddenly, getting up to his feet and storming off. “I can’t do this!”

Zitao caught him by the wrist, before Luhan got too far. "What? Are you going to walk away from your father’s wishes? What about the future of your kingdom?”

“I don’t love him,” Luhan told Zitao, looking into his eyes meaningfully. “You know I don’t.”

“You can learn to love him,” Zitao insisted, gripping Luhan’s arm tightly, before he started tearing up. “You have to.”

“I don’t want…” Luhan replied, tearing up himself. “What about…?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Zitao assured him, sighing heavily. “The kingdoms, both yours and Elyxion, will prosper as one upon your marriage. You have to prioritize what’s important.”

Luhan stared helplessly at Zitao, his hands over his stomach.

  
Zitao gently covered the prince’s hands with his own. “There isn’t much time, my prince. Please.”

While they were talking, Kyungsoo ran back towards Chanyeol, sobbing anew. “Why won’t he kiss you? You have to wake up!”

Minseok, Sehun, Jongin, Yixing, Baekhyun and Jongdae were all now crying too.

“Please, Chanyeol, I promise to bake you the best mint chocolate donuts you’ve ever tasted if only you’ll wake up,” Kyungsoo cried, leaning close to his ear. “The secret ingredient is…”

The other dwarves strained to listen but they heard nothing.

“Please, please…” Kyungsoo begged, as he leaned back to stare at Chanyeol’s sleeping countenance. How handsome and perfect and immaculate Chanyeol was. How Kyungsoo wished he could see that goofy smile and those bright eyes and be held by those strong arms again…

If a kiss was what Chanyeol needed to wake up, then he would try.  
  


If his soulmate didn’t want to save him, then Kyungsoo would.

Even if he wasn’t the right person.

Even if he was a dwarf.

“I like you, Prince Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo admitted almost inaudibly, not even caring now that all of his brothers could see and hear him. “I found another reason to smile again because of you.”

And with that, he very gently pressed his lips on the white-haired prince's own, closing his eyes as he did.

Despite Kyungsoo imagining his first kiss would be nerve wracking and scary, he found himself extremely calm at the moment as everything stood still.

In reality, it only lasted a mere couple of seconds, as he didn’t want to suffocate Chanyeol, whose breathing was already extremely faint.

And still, nothing.

Chanyeol was only peacefully sleeping.

Another tear streamed down Kyungsoo’s squishy cheek as he squeezed Chanyeol’s hand. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t the right one, Chanyeol. I’m so sorry.”

Minseok and Yixing held Kyungsoo as the terribly upset dwarf rose to his feet and continued to cry in despair.

Zitao and Luhan got distracted by the dwarves’ continuous grieving over Chanyeol just then, that Luhan realized that Zitao was right. It was up to him to save Chanyeol.

As a prince, he must honor his duty to put the kingdom first above personal matters.

If it was to enter into an arranged marriage with Chanyeol, then so be it.

The dwarves started to head for the house, since Chanyeol was already in the hands of the person meant to save him.

Kyungsoo closed his eyes, couldn’t handle to watch this time as Luhan resolutely leaned down to kiss Chanyeol on the lips.

But before Luhan could do so, the younger prince stirred, with his almond-shaped eyes starting to blink open.

The first thing he saw was Luhan’s pretty face hovering over his own.

“Prince Luhan?” Chanyeol asked in bewilderment as the omega prince assisted for him to sit up. “W-What are you doing here?”

“You’re awake!” Luhan, in his glee, hugged Chanyeol close. “Thank heavens, you’re finally awake!”

Kyungsoo suddenly turned around at hearing the news. The dwarves ran back to the Chanyeol, cheering and hugging him. 

Kyungsoo was rendered paralyzed where he stood, realizing that Chanyeol waking up should be cause for celebration, but all he could feel was his heart shattering into a million pieces at the confirmation that Luhan was Chanyeol’s soulmate, whose kiss broke the spell.

Zitao, however, saw the whole thing, but they had already wasted too much time. “Well, that’s solved. Let’s return to Elyxion.”

Chanyeol, still heavily disoriented, glanced back at the dwarves, as he was being escorted by Zitao to Luhan’s steed.

“Goodbye, Chanyeol!” They all waved to him sadly, couldn’t help their tears. “We wish you a happy wedding!”

Kyungsoo only sobbed harder.

Chanyeol feebly waved goodbye back, as he mounted the white horse behind Luhan. As the stallion started trotting away, he turned back to them once more—his family, albeit temporarily—and longingly stared at Kyungsoo, who wouldn’t stop crying even after the two princes and the Grand Vizier were long gone.

***

Chanyeol was still contemplating on the events of yesterday afternoon as he got dressed for his wedding the next day. His parents were extremely relieved that he was safe and Chanyeol could only narrate that a group of nice dwarves adopted him for two days and that he hadn’t been harmed in anyway…

… except almost getting eaten by an albino bear and being offered a poisonous donut by an elderly beggar…

… who, in retrospect, reminded him of Zitao.

Chanyeol’s eyes grew wide as his memories were starting to return to him, from seeing the old woman’s face, telling him that only his soulmate’s kiss would awaken him… and then dreaming about the secret ingredient of Kyungsoo’s mint chocolate donut’s… and acutely sensing someone giving him a kiss…

It couldn’t possibly be Prince Luhan, whose beautiful lips were thin and small.

The lips that kissed him were full, plush… and had the outline of a heart.

Chanyeol had to settle this once and for all. He had resolved to go through with this wedding, because he needed to accept that Prince Luhan was his soulmate, and he was indebted to him for saving his life.

Apparently, none of it was true and he wanted more answers right now.

He charged towards the hall where Prince Luhan was getting ready, and was barred by two of Evanesce’s head guards. “We apologize, Prince Chanyeol. You are not allowed to enter.”

Chanyeol glared at them, not to be intimidated. “I’m going to be his husband—your future Alpha King—and you dare prevent me from seeing my betrothed?”

One of them appeared jarred. “Your Majesty, i-i-it is bad luck to see the omega prince before the ceremony. It might—”

“LET. ME. IN.” Chanyeol growled, his eyes flashing.

The two head guards bowed, giving way to the royal youth, as they opened the doors.

Luhan’s designers and stylists and make-up artists were all in the room, arranging his suits and accessories but the omega king was nowhere to be found. No one seemed to know where to find them either.

Chanyeol fumed, knowing that he had to think. He always marched to the roof whenever he wanted to be alone. So up he went, just to have a few minutes to himself, before he proceeded with what could possibly be the biggest mistake of his life.

He stopped short when he found Luhan and Zitao already up on the roof, seemingly arguing about something.

“You were already decided yesterday,” Zitao pointed out in frustration, “and now you’re changing your mind?!”

“I’m hormonal, so sue me!” Luhan shot back sarcastically, walking away.

“You will go through with this,” Zitao insisted with authority. “You are a prince!”

“I don't care! Why can’t I marry the one I love?!”

Zitao’s voice lowered to a couple of octaves. “You know that’s not possible.”

“Then I’ll make it possible!” Luhan retorted and grabbed Zitao’s face and kissed him deeply.

Chanyeol covered his mouth to conceal a gasp, as he stood frozen from his place on the last steps of the stairs. He leaned back on the stone wall, feeling guilty about accidentally witnessing what he had already seen. Still, he knew he had to hear more.

“I’m carrying our baby,” Luhan cried.

Chanyeol gasped some more. Thankfully, he hadn’t removed his large hand from his mouth yet.

“It wouldn’t be right for our child to be raised by another alpha.”

“I've sworn to stay by your side, as long as I live,” Zitao fervently vowed. “I’ll still see our child grow up. You, my Luhan, have a reputation to uphold. I promised your father I would take care of you.”

“And you have… I want you to continue doing so...”

Chanyeol had to get away from there. Going through this farce wedding was wrong in all forms and intents.

***

Kyungsoo hadn’t slept much the night before, understandably. He had woken up uncharacteristically late, nearly lunch time, because he wasn’t feeling so well, and Minseok and the others told him—even Sehun, in an actual words—that he could stay home today. Staring at his destroyed garden depressed him even more, but the only consolation was that his beautiful cacti were spared, as they stood resilient and strong where they were. He sniffed as he started the day watering them, giving more special care to the tallest and skinniest cactus in the row.

“How are you, Chanyeol? Are you recovering well?" Kyungsoo whispered, patting the earth where he had lovingly planted the new addition to his family. "It was such an eventful night. After you left, the house felt so empty somehow, even if all seven of us were there. Maybe it's your height that filled the whole room, or your bright personality, or your sparkly eyes..."

Kyungsoo closed his eyes, as extreme sadness consumed him. Talking to Cactus Chanyeol gave him some reprieve and this was all he could do for now. "Did you know that Minseok wished he could have protected you more, that Yixing couldn't sleep a wink all night, Baekhyun hadn't smiled once and Jongdae's allergies worsened from crying too much, that Jongin wanted to march over to the palace to get even at the one who poisoned you, and that Sehun... Who would have thought that a human prince would be the catalyst for him to find his voice again?” Kyungsoo sighed, vowing to ensure the new cactus received all the love and nourishment it needed to thrive. “Everybody misses you.”

“How about you?”

Kyungsoo jumped and fell on his butt on the ground as he turned to see who it was.

There was Chanyeol in his official wedding garb, looking every bit as princely and dashing as he could be.

And there was Kyungsoo in his muddy pajamas, straw hat and garden gloves. “W-What… are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be getting married?”

“I want to invite you to the castle, that’s why I’m here.” Chanyeol crouched down and tipped the smaller one’s hat slightly so he could look into his eyes. “Let’s go?”

Kyungsoo scowled. All those feelings of frustration and anger of not being able to do anything and watching someone else save Chanyeol became all too much for him, and this _prince_ had the nerve to come here and invite him to his wedding?

He knew Minseok was making up that “ _If it were up to me, I will make Kyungsoo smile all the time_ ” line. He never should have believed it, since it didn’t hear it from Chanyeol himself. 

He realized he was now more embarrassed than anything else. “You’re delaying the wedding just to come here? Why would you invite _me_?” He turned away from Chanyeol, loathing him for that handsome, heartwrenching, royal face. “It’s not like we’re _friends_ or anything.”

Chanyeol felt a little hurt hearing that, and was about to apologize for what happened to the garden, when he noticed the row of succulents and a new one that hadn’t been there before. “Oh… thank goodness, the cacti are thriving! And… is that…?”

The new cactus towered over the others for a couple of centimeters, and it was skinny, whereas the others were more or less the similar height. “Is that… me?”

The smaller one scowled even more, getting up to his feet.

“Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol called, gently gripping his arm.

The dwarf had no choice but to sit back down.

“Didn’t you tell me that you named your miniature cactus plants after your family? Is that why we’re not friends? It’s because we’re family?”

“Whatever,” Kyungsoo snapped, tempted to splash water at him. Since he abhorred getting messy himself, when Chanyeol was so well-dressed, and so he resisted the urge. “I didn’t say the name of the cactus. Isn't it too much of you to just assume?”

“Yet, I hear no denial,” Chanyeol quipped, giving Kyungsoo a goofy smile, with his deep left dimple showing to boot.

Kyungsoo’s lips quivered, and yet didn’t give in for a smile.

Chanyeol would take that. That lovely heart-shaped smile would manifest soon. “I don’t want to be late for the wedding. But I’m not going unless you’re going with me.”

“I don’t want to! Why would a dwarf go to a royal wedding?! And what would I wear?!”

Chanyeol sighed and returned to his trusty horse, to reveal his own royal suit from when he was eight years old to give to the pretty, petite dwarf.

***

The grand hall of Elyxion gasped as the messenger announced the return of Prince Chanyeol Snow, who had been missing for a couple of hours and the guards hadn’t been able to locate him.

King Junmyeon was clutching his chest. “I’m going to have a heart attack because of your son,” the omega king hissed to his husband.

  
“Oh, now he’s just _my_ son,” Yifan complained, massaging his throbbing temples.

Luhan was looking mightily worried at the altar. He had been standing there, alone, for ten mortifying minutes, without an alpha to be married to.

Zitao remained behind him expressionless, as the Grand Vizier had always dutifully done in public.

The massive doors opened, to reveal the white-haired prince…

…with an impeccably dressed child…

… no, DWARF!...

… in tow.

Every jaw in the royal court dropped as Chanyeol and his guest approached the throne.

“Father, Mother, Prince Luhan…” Chanyeol formally greeted. “Allow me to present Kyungsoo, the dwarf I have fallen in love with.”

Kyungsoo’s hands flew to his mouth at Chanyeol’s unexpected confession.

Chanyeol tenderly turned to Kyungsoo, rubbing his shoulders. “Yes. I know it’s only been a couple of days and there is so much to get to know about each other, but we’re here now and…”

“So you’re not marrying Prince Luhan?” Zitao protested, charging at Chanyeol.

The young prince calmly stood his ground. “I am willingly relinquishing my place for you, Grand Vizier. I am certain that the Prince of Evanesce would want the same thing.”

Luhan met Chanyeol’s eyes gratefully, and the younger prince nodded and smiled at him.

“What’s going on?” King Yifan demanded. “Will there be no wedding?”

“Why won’t there be?” Chanyeol pointed out, smiling at his parents, who didn’t appear the least bit amused by his antics at the moment. “When we have an alpha and an omega wanting to wed?”

“You and this… this… _dwarf_?”

Kyungsoo hid behind Chanyeol’s back now, wanting to disappear. He wished Chanyeol didn’t being him here. Couldn’t the ground swallow him whole now?

“He’s not just a _dwarf_ , Father,” Chanyeol explained patiently, putting a protective arm around Kyungsoo’s shoulders, who continually hid his face on the side of Chanyeol’s ribs. “He’s also a person, only he’s little. He’s my age too, and… we’re too young to get married…” He looked at Kyungsoo tentatively, who gazed back at him in uncertainty, mostly in anxiousness. “I don’t… even know if we can…”

“My great-grandfather was a dwarf.”

Everyone gasped as they realized that the statement came from the Omega King Junmyeon.

“And yes, he was able to procreate with his human husband, and that is why I am here, and Chanyeol is here.”

“Really?” King Yifan looked at his husband in utter shock, as he was hearing this for the first time. “How come you never told me this before?”

“Does it matter?” Junmyeon shrugged, patting his husband at the back. “Why do you think you and Chanyeol tower over me? While I'm definitely more than a foot taller than a dwarf, the ideal omega should be around Prince Luhan’s height. So you, my son,” Junmyeon said, smiling at Chanyeol now, “are actually 1/16th dwarf.”

Chanyeol laughed happily and looked at the blushing Kyungsoo, whose lips were now starting to form that enthralling heart-shaped smile. He bent low and hugged Kyungsoo tightly, as the petite dwarf himself stood in tiptoe and wrapped his arms around his tall human prince.

Zitao cleared his throat. “Excuse me? You’re forgetting about us here!”

Luhan then giggled and took Zitao’s arm to stand before the altar.

Zitao faced Luhan tentatively. “But this is not allowed. I am not of royal blood.”

“It is stated on my coronation that I would assume the position of the King of Evanesce once I am married,” Luhan assured him. “And this is first law I will pass—that all people should be able to love, marry and build a family with someone of their choosing. And I choose you.”

Zitao’s gaze softened. “How can I refuse a proposal like that?”

The archbishop of Elyxion smiled at the new couple he was marrying—friends of the Elyxion royal family—and he would be honored to officiate this historic wedding. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…”

And it was a beautiful, memorable celebration indeed.

***

At sunset, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo watched the carriage of the newlyweds driving off to their honeymoon, a faraway land called El Dorado, as they waved goodbye from the rooftop.

“Aren’t you glad you came to the wedding with me?” Chanyeol asked, turning to Kyungsoo just then.

Kyungsoo shrugged, smoothing out the elaborate threading on the luxurious clothes he was wearing. Chanyeol’s eight-year-old clothes fit him like a glove. He probably wouldn’t grow any taller than he was right now, but Chanyeol seemed to think it was okay. “When you confessed publicly at the hall earlier, I thought you wanted us to get married.”

“Do you want to?” Chanyeol clarified immediately, grabbing his hand to go back down to the grand hall. “I think the archbishop hasn’t left yet. He could officiate our wedding.”

Kyungsoo laughed out loud. “Hang on! I was kidding! We’ve only known each other for two days! And besides, my brothers aren’t here. How would they feel if I had gotten married without them in attendance?”

“Of course I want them in our wedding, too! Like the cacti in your garden, they’ve also become my family!”

They watched the breathtaking vision in silence, as the glowing sun gradually lay itself to rest.

“I should bring you back home,” Chanyeol murmured, just a little disappointedly. “Your brothers might worry.”

“You should go and visit us sometime,” Kyungsoo told him, a bit saddened at the thought they would be apart again.

“And I’ll set a picnic for all of us here,” Chanyeol suggested, as he and Kyungsoo proceeded downstairs, hand in hand. “We should normalize having dwarfs in the palace, in the court, in town… Everyone is welcome in Elyxion.”

Kyungsoo only managed a tiny smile, one where joy didn’t reach his eyes. What Chanyeol was saying was too idealistic and humans’ perceptions of dwarves wouldn’t change overnight, but being brave enough to be seen with one—even to publicly confess that the PRINCE had fallen in love with a DWARF—a PRINCE who actually had DWARF blood in him—was a significant start.

“Will you make some more of your glorious mint chocolate donuts again? I'll bring you to our kitchen, where you can have all of that generous space and complete baking tools. Our bakers—”

“Oooh, your _bakers_ … Finally, I’ll meet my competition,” Kyungsoo teased. “I think I’m jealous.”

“No need to be. I already told you your donuts are the best!” Chanyeol squeezed him to his side. Then he went down a couple of steps so they could be on eye-level (though Chanyeol was still a wee bit taller). “So come on, bake me some more of your mouth-watering donuts?”

Kyungsoo only blinked at him curiously.

Chanyeol frowned. “Didn’t you promise that you would…?”

“When?” Kyungsoo asked innocently, blushing now to the roots of his hair at the notion that Chanyeol might have heard him crying and pleading with yesterday afternoon.

“When I was… well, unconscious from that low-grade donut…” Chanyeol’s eyes grew even larger, as he pointed at Kyungsoo. “That’s what you said! You said what I was fed was a low-grade donut!”

“You’re delusional,” Kyungsoo scoffed, trying to turn away.

“Oh no, oh no, oh no,” Chanyeol refused, making Kyungsoo face him once more. “Let me know whether what I’m remembering is correct. You also said you like me!”

“I did not!”

Chanyeol narrowed his eyes at him. “And you also told me the secret ingredient of—”

“OKAY, OKAY, I LIKE YOU!” Kyungsoo screamed, pouting. “Happy?”

“Uh-huh.” Chanyeol’s gaze drifted down to those tempting, plush heart-shaped lips. “I know it was you who gave me my first kiss, not Prince Luhan.”

Kyungsoo stared up at him, swallowing.

Chanyeol tenderly traced the outline of Kyungsoo’s delectable mouth with his thumb. “Let me see if my memory serves me right.”

Then the prince leaned down and sealed Kyungsoo's mouth with his own, catching the smaller one’s lower lip first and then softly sucking on his thicker, upper one a second later.

“It was your kiss that saved me.” Chanyeol leaned back from him in a daze. “No magic or spell can deny that you’re my soulmate, Kyungsoo. I want to make as many memories with you starting today, and if, for any reason, I make you cry, I pray it will only be due to happy tears. If it were up to me, I will make you smile all the time.”

And Chanyeol Snow was granted a sincere, enchanting heart-shaped smile that would rival a thousand suns.

~ THE END ~


End file.
